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Lavender Lemonade Concentrate + Giveaway!

There are some subjects in the food world that require the consultation of an expert and, if you’re lucky, there is a very clear expert to consult.

I’m not sure there is a more obvious example of this than the world of canning and preserving.

I always have dreams of canning and preserving each year, but in reality I only get around to it once or twice a year. Far from expert levels, for sure. Every time I’ve done it, I find myself pulling out one of Marisa McClellan‘s books to remind myself of good practices. Usually, in those same books, I find a recipe for what I want.

This perfect-for-summer lavender lemonade concentrate is in her new book, Naturally Sweet Food in Jars, and if you’re interested in canned and/or interested in learning more about using natural sweeteners, this book is a must-have.

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Check out this refreshing drink and be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post!

Lavender Lemonade Concentrate

This recipe only has a few ingredients. Don’t take shortcuts with them though. For starters, juice real lemons. Don’t even think about using concentrate!

Lotsa lemons.

Then you need some lavender buds. You can find food-grade lavender in most natural food stores these days. You might have to ask around, but they are pretty available. You don’t need much to flavor something like this. They have a pretty strong flavor.

Potent.

Combine the lemon juice, agave, and lavender in a pot and bring it to a slight simmer. Stir it regularly so the agave dissolves.

A little sweet.

Once the mixture is steaming, cover it, remove it from the heat, and let the mixture steep. If you have some cheesecloth, you could wrap the lavender in that for easier removal.

Gentle heat now.

Once the mixture steeps for 45-60 minutes, I just strained mine through a metal mesh strainer. Worked great!

Strain it.

Now to reduce what’s left. Just bring the mixture to a boil and cook it for 15-20 minutes until it reduces by about a third. It should be the consistency of a very light syrup.

This was my finished concentrate!

Reduce it!

To Can or Not to Can

Marisa, of course, gives you instructions on how to can this so you can use lemons in their prime and have it ready for later in the season. To be honest, I just stuck mine in the fridge and it was gone before the end of the week. I found myself adding a spoonful of it to ice water or using it to mix up a quick cocktail.

It’s all-purpose and very delicious.

Done!

The nice thing about it is you can add as much as you like to your drink. If you like it more flavorful, you could add a few tablespoons to a glass of water. For me though, about a tablespoon per 8 oz. of ice water is a good mix.

So refreshing and so perfect for a hot summer day!

The Giveaway!

I’m giving away one copy of Naturally Sweet Food in Jars! Use the widget below to enter or just leave a comment to be entered! Have you ever made a drink concentrate like this?

Does making chocolate syrup for chocolate milk count as making a concentrate? If so, yes. :-) This is very inspiring, I’d like to make more. My teen sons and I are challenging ourselves to make as much as possible from ingredients and buy as few premade foods and especially snacks as possible.

I have never made a concentrate but I did make a lemon, lavender, & rosemary simple syrup the other weekend for ‘lemonade’ (actually a tom collins-esque drink, whoops). I’m looking to make a bunch of drink mixes like this for the summer to stay hydrated.

I’ve made lemonade from a concentrate I mixed up and froze in ice cube trays. This recipe looks like a tasty one for me to try next. Love the food-in-jars cookbooks; such a neat concept. Thanks for the opportunity to win one!

You know the blog, now know the book

Love Your Leftovers

Love Your Leftovers includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert options as well as a wide range of cuisines. Each main dish includes eight to ten creative recipes for leftovers. With chapters on kitchen and pantry basics and Meal Planning 101, as well as a helpful index of vegetarian and thirty-minute meals. This isn’t just a book you might like, it’s the book your kitchen (and family) need.